


A Lure

by ghostea



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Mermaids, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Sort Of, historical setting, i'll add as i go - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-14 10:19:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13588008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostea/pseuds/ghostea
Summary: Mick didn't ask for any of this. And yet here he is.





	1. Mick hates fishing

Mick was fishing. Mick _hates_ fishing. But Lisa had somehow managed to get him to not only prepare dinner tonight but to also catch it whilst she got her brother to treat her to the market stalls. She had grinned and said that she had missed them. Mick likes to believe it only worked because they had all been apart for so long, but it had always worked no matter what. She would smile and her blood brother and adopted brother would do anything for her.

Even go fishing.

The sun was at that annoying point in the afternoon before sundown, Mick squinted down at the dark waters, almost debating if trying to will the fish to come would work. He’d been at it all day and had caught nothing. Not only was it a waste of his time when he had orders to fill but Lisa would pout which would make Len do that thing where he pretended not to be grouchy because Lisa was pouting- _and it was over some stupid fish_. They were going to the market, couldn’t they just buy some and-

Something tugged at the fishing line.

“Finally” Mick snapped, the fish better be a big one. He yanked at the fishing-pole, reeling in the wire, only to find the fish struggling harshly against him, even pulling him forward a step. Mick grinned, if he caught this bastard he could finally go home and never go fishing again-

Where the end of the wire should be with a fish and hand followed, one hand gripping tightly to the wire whilst another seemed caught to the hook. Mick let go of the fishing-pole in shock, the hands shot back into the water, pulling the rod along with it. Mick watched in stunned silence as the rod disappeared into the murky waters.

Mick was shaking himself out of the shock of what he _definitely_ just saw and wondering how the hell he was going to explain this to Lisa and Len when a head popped up out of the water.

“Um, hello?” the watery voice asked. Mick was stunned again but managed to reply. Sort of.

“What the fuck” the head ignored his cursing.

“I- um, I’m kind of stuck? And I’m not meant to go near the shore so I can’t go home because people will get mad and-”

“Stuck? What are you on about? Why did you steal my pole?” It had been a long useless day and Mick was quick to piss off when already in a bad mood. The head looked affronted.

“I didn’t steal anything, I just thought your lure was cool and I wanted a closer look and then I accidentally got stuck on the hook and then _you_ pulled which made it worse! I panicked!”

“Well why were you swimming around here!? The weathers awful and the tide shoulda swept you away, the hell you thinking?!” the head just blinked at him in its own shock before letting out a nervous laugh.

“Well, uh, you see, um, I’m kinda, you know” the head nodded and widened his eyes in a way that looked like Mick should know what the hell he meant by that.

“You know what?”

“I’m a you _know_ ” Mick was seconds from setting something on fire, preferably this brats head.

“You have a name, kid?”

“It’s Barry”

“Well, Barry, I don’t know nothing about what you’re trying to tell me, but give me back my damn pole before I make you”

“Are all humans this aggressive?” Wait. What. “I hear stories about them but I’ve seen some of your children play on the beaches and they seem lovely, sandcastles really intrigue me, I tried building one down here before but it didn’t hold well-”

“Are you saying you’re not human?” Barry rolled his eyes.

“Duh” That’s it, Mick was done, he’d had enough. Mick picked up his bag and turned to walk away, to leave this whole mess behind him, he’d tell the other two that none of the fish would bite and he broke the pole or something, not that Len or Lisa would believe that for a second but they usually didn’t push-

“Hey! Don’t just leave! I’m stuck!” Mick ignored him.

“I can give you your thing back if you help me!” Mick continued to ignore him. 

“I’ll help you catch fish!” came a desperate plea. Mick stopped. He turned around the creature and observed him for a few seconds. It would be easier to do this then put up with the Snart’s poking. Plus, the Doll’s puppy eyes were adorable in a ‘I promise I don’t drown sailors in my spare time’ kind of way.

“Alright”

“Alright?”

“S’what I said isn’t it” Mick snapped “Come over here” The creature swam over to the bank edge and Mick could see some shoulders and torso, all of which had somehow become wrapped up in fishing wire, trapping the creatures arms to its chest and sides. Mick pulled out a small knife from his pocket, the creature didn’t even seem that concerned by it and let Mick lean down to cut at the fishing wire. Mick tried not to marvel at the fact that the creatures apparent human-like skin was actually just very fine fish scales that imitated human skin, the only way he saw it differently was the few flickers of light at certain angles and when he touched it it was smoother than silk.

Barry smiled when his arms were free and handed Mick the rest of the fishing pole with his uninjured hand. 

“Let’s see your hand, Doll” Mick gruffed, Barry’s face pinched slightly in confusion but was still smiling. Gently giving his injured hand over to the human. Mick winced at how deeply the hook had caught him.

“All this for a lure?” Barry shrugged

“I thought it was pretty”


	2. Easier To Ignore It

Lisa had been delighted with dinner. Each of them spoke about what had happened in the time when they had all been apart. Lisa told them about a cute inventor she met at a nobles party, Len possibly over-exaggerated his many cons of the rich and stupid and Mick told them about the outrageous orders that nobles made, wanting the best product for minimal pay. But it all quickly moved on from parties and forges to the good old times, when the chronic pain didn’t keep Mick from chasing after Len on his daring plans, or when Lisa broke a man’s arm for calling her less than polite things, how Lisa and Mick found Len sleeping up in a tree because he slept with the son of a nobleman who had an impressive collection of bloodthirsty hounds. Ah, good times.

Mick didn’t mention meeting Barry. Or what Barry said before they parted ways.

_“I like to come here around sunrise, I like listening to the birds wake up”_

Mick was used to early mornings despite being his own boss. The heat and power of the forge called to him more than his bed that made his back stiff with pain. But just because Mick was usually up before dawn didn’t mean that he would see the Mer again.

_Mick didn’t see Barry’s tail up close, but he saw flashes of it. A dazzling red- scarlet even, reflecting any light it touched. It reminded Mick of the jewels he often forged with, the heat and fire of the forge. But whilst Mick didn’t doubt it held the power of a forge the tail seemed softer, more valuable than glittering stones._

The three stayed up late into the night, drinking and laughing and pushing away how much they had hurt each other all that time ago. It was when the moon looked ready to rest did they peel off and go to bed. Len, in a small moment of emotion, squeezed Mick’s arm in companionship before following after his sister.

_Barry didn’t take long to catch a few fish, claiming that Mick had just been a little off with his aim, missing a small school by a few knots. Barry had smiled each time he handed a fish to Mick, who was not staring at the clawed webbed hands, but at Barry’s smile. It was full of too many teeth. Sharp and jagged, two rows sat snuggly together._

Mick was trying to sleep. Lisa and Len had squabbled over who got which spare bed that Mick kept around. He’d almost sold them once, thinking Len and Lisa had left him for good. The burns covering his body itching more than ever.

_“I like to come here around sunrise, I like listening to the birds wake up”_

Mick slowly sat up, the pain in his back trying to push him down and weigh him in place. He hadn’t bothered to change, he rarely did nowadays. He put his beaten shoes on and picked up what he had brought home from the forge, checking on the two siblings before he left for the door.

He stood with his small home behind him. He had gotten ownership for it for a sword for the nobleman's daughters birthday. Gilded with silver and sapphires. To his left was his forge, the place that had become his sanctuary for so many years now. To the right, the banks edge where Barry would be waiting.

Mick looked down the road where it turned off, going down the hill towards the waters edge. It looked ominous in the early hours, the sea fog curling into the grove of trees that scattered the lower areas. Barry would be there, with his claws and his teeth and his smile. Listening to the birds sing their songs as the sun rose, maybe wondering if Mick was going to show, maybe he’d be smiling again, maybe he’d be able to remember a precious stone that could come close to Barry’s tail.

Mick turned to his left and carried on walking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The best way to deal with any emotion is to bottle it up tight and then one day die. - Mick Rory ft. The Snart's

**Author's Note:**

> this is my latest lil' project to wind down from work.


End file.
